New Restaurant in Bethel Quietly Builds Its Fan Base

BETHEL, CT — After more than two months of quietly building its clientele on Greenwood Avenue in Bethel, new Mexican restaurant La Diferencia is finally ready for its close-up. The Chamber of Commerce, along with First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker, are throwing a big ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday at 3 p.m.

But for the enthusiastic fans of authentic Mexican food that already number themselves as La Diferencia regulars, it's all old news.

"What we hear most is, 'We needed a place like this in Bethel,'" said Gerbis Maga, the eatery's operations manager. He said that patrons complained they had to "go to Danbury if you want to eat Mexican. People from Newtown and Redding also stop here because it is on their way to Danbury."

The difference at La Diferencia is in the seasoning, Maga said, which permeates every dish at the restaurant. The spice is the secret ingredient created by the restaurant's head chef. Known only as "Chef Jimmy," he was the culinary chief for former Mexican President Felipe Calderón, and has been plying his trade in Mexican and U.S. kitchens for over 35 years.

La Diferencia opened on Sept. 13, with a "soft," mostly un-promoted launch. Despite the run-up to Thanksgiving being a slow time for the restaurant trade, Maga says La Diferencia has thrived, attributing its success to very strong word-of-mouth. He hopes the whole ribbon-cutting thing and the Chamber of Commerce throwing its weight behind its "hard" launch will pack La Diferencia's dining room, which seats 80, even more.

The new restaurant is a dream come true for co-owner Gilda Martinez. Her husband and co-owner Luis Martinez has made his living building restaurants like La Diferencia (Fiesta Mexicana in Brewster, NY, is an example of his local work), and she says she has always wanted to manage one of her own.

La Diferencia, at 208 Greenwood Avenue in Bethel, opens at 11 a.m. seven days a week, and closes at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and at 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.